Melodies of Life
by Katra Winner
Summary: The first in the Melodies of Life series...About what happened at the Iifa Tree between Kuja and Zidane. NOT YAOI. >.
1. The First Melody

{ Melodies of Life }  
  
Zidane closed his eyes. It hurt. Everywhere. He found it remotely amusing that so long ago, he'd helped to destroy the Iifa Tree's spirit, and now the Tree was destroying him. He chuckled, but with little humor.   
  
"What the hell are you laughing about?" a familiar voice said.   
  
"Well, well, Kuja," Zidane replied weakly, "what the hell are you doing alive? Are you made of titanium alloy or something?"  
  
"Titanium alloy couldn't live through an attack by the Iifa Tree."  
  
"We did."  
  
"The question is, my sweet lovable moron, for how long?"  
  
"Optimistic, aren't you?" Zidane said dryly.   
  
"Really. Here we are, lying half dead because of the stupid Iifa Tree, and all you can think about is how I happen to take a realistic view on life. Or, in this case, death."  
  
"Yeah. Annoying, ain't it?" Zidane replied cheekily.  
  
"Any regrets?"  
  
"About what?" Zidane asked, his grin replaced by a serious expression.   
  
"Life in general, stupid."  
  
"Yeah - I never told Dagger how much I love her. And I never really got to insult you thoroughly. Much less get to know you. Mikoto, either."  
  
"So your regrets are unexpressed love, lack of insulting your handsome brother, and the fact that you barely know your cute siblings."  
  
"Basically. You?"  
  
"None."  
  
"Somehow, I find that hard to believe."  
  
"Well, Zidane, you know me too well. See, one of your regrets is already void. Mine are that I was such an idiot to the people of Gaia."  
  
"Kuja, you weren't an idiot - you were a downright bastard."  
  
"Gee, thanks." he paused for a moment, then continued. "I'm gonna die now. Promise me that all you regrets will be void - live to be close to Mikoto, tell Dagger you love her."   
  
"You missed two," Zidane said quietly.  
  
"Shut the hell up and agree."  
  
"All right."  
  
"And Zidane? You truly are a marvelous Genome, worthy of all my love. All the universe's love."  
  
And so Kuja, one of the greatest Genomes ever created, died. Zidane took careful stock of his items. One slightly crushed Gysahl Green, two smashed daggers, and...the words he'd written to that song Dagger always sang. He stopped. He'd never really been great at singing, but now seemed and appropriate time. He slowly cleared his throat, then began to sing:   
  
Alone for a while, I've been searching through the dark,  
For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart.  
To weave by picking up the pieces that remain. Melodies of Life-love's lost refrain.  
  
Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why,  
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said good-bye,  
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?  
Let them ring out loud till they unfold.   
  
In my dearest memories, I see you reaching out to me.  
Though you're gone, I still believe that you can call out my name.  
  
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine.  
Adding up the layers of harmony.  
And so it goes, on and on.  
Melodies of life-  
To the sky beyond the flying birds-forever and beyond.  
  
So far and away, see the bird as it flies,  
Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky,  
I've laid my memories, do you remember loving me?  
Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings.   
  
In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me?  
Was it fate that brought us close and now leaves me behind?   
  
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine.  
Adding up the layers of harmony.  
And so it goes, on and on.  
Melodies of life-  
To the sky beyond the flying birds-forever and beyond.  
  
If should I leave this lonely world behind.  
Your voice will still remember our melody.  
Now I know we'll carry on.  
Melodies of Life.  
Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts  
  
As long as we remember.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay, Zidane told himself. Battle plan. Madin Sari wasn't that far away, and the Moogles would help heal him-if he was lucky. So, the plan was to heal for a while, head to Madin Sari, then go from there to the Mist Continent, and finally to Alexandria. He figured it would take, without medicinal items, three to four years. He snorted. And he'd thought he was resourceful.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Now to business. First order was to have a 'funeral' for his deceased brother. Zidane grimaced as he began to dig the hole. He heard a soft clink, the sound of metal rustling together. On closer inspection, he noticed that it was a circular silver pendant - and it had hinges on the side. Slowly, he opened it, mildly afraid of what he'd find. Inside was, on the left, picture of a toddler Zidane, trapped inside of a bubble, peacefully coasting through space. On the right, there was a picture of a teenaged Kuja, looking down at baby Zidane. Teardrops fell on the dirty ground. Zidane clutched the pendant, and slowly brought it over his neck. He then saw a small box clutched tightly in his brother's hand. Zidane uncurled Kuja's fingers, and hands shaking, opened the box to see a perfect ring, with a garnet shaped like a rose, diamonds circling it. Written in curling, flowing script was   
  
'For your wedding, my favorite moron  
  
-Kuja'  
  
"Onichan..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Three years later:  
  
Zidane smiled at Choco. He had finally reached Alexandria. One year to heal. One to get to the Mist Continent. And one to get a job, earn enough money to get himself to Alexandria, and to plan this. He and his friends, minus Dagger, had a special surprise planned during Tantalus' annual performance of 'I Want to be Your Canary'. He still wasn't quite at %100 health, but he was close enough. Choco let out a soft 'kweh', and Zidane dismounted, allowing his old friend to fly off to the Forest near Lindblum. That night, dressed as Marcus in a black hooded cloak, he began his final lines,  
  
"And as the sun lends me no ear, I instead turn to the twin moons. I beseech you, moonlight - grant my only wish-"  
  
Zidane hunched expertly, preparing to fling the cloak away - he turned, facing the audience -   
  
"Bring my beloved Dagger to me!!!!" he cried out, tossing his cloak aside. He waited until Dagger was out of sight, then moved to the castle exit.   
  
He saw her, screaming, crying, and throwing her crown aside. As she jumped, he caught her, swinging her around. When her feet touched the ground, she gave him a questioning look. Zidane shrugged, and winced as she started punching him. She'd definitely stayed fit. As her tears slowed her assault on his chest, he pushed her head onto his shoulder, and began stroking her hair. All around them, the people celebrated.   
  
"Aishiteru, Dagger," he said, and paused a moment to touch the silver circle that hung from his neck.   
  
"Aishiteru, Zidane," replied the soft, loving voice. Quietly, he began to sing. Dagger joined him with the appropriate words, though how she knew them was a mystery. Zidane held her close, and in the corner of his eye, he saw Steiner and Beatrix lift the great sword of Alexandria, Save the Queen, to the sky.  
  
Alone for a while, I've been searching through the dark,  
For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart.  
To weave by picking up the pieces that remain. Melodies of Life-love's lost refrain.  
  
Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why,  
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said good-bye,  
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?  
Let them ring out loud till they unfold.   
  
In my dearest memories, I see you reaching out to me.  
Though you're gone, I still believe that you can call out my name.  
  
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine.  
Adding up the layers of harmony.  
And so it goes, on and on.  
Melodies of life-  
To the sky beyond the flying birds-forever and beyond.  
  
So far and away, see the bird as it flies,  
Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky,  
I've laid my memories, do you remember loving me?  
Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings.   
  
In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me?  
Was it fate that brought us close and now leaves me behind?   
  
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine.  
Adding up the layers of harmony.  
And so it goes, on and on.  
Melodies of life-  
To the sky beyond the flying birds-forever and beyond.  
  
If should I leave this lonely world behind.  
Your voice will still remember our melody.  
Now I know we'll carry on.  
Melodies of Life.  
Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts  
  
As long as we remember.  
  
And the world rejoiced, as the two greatest creatures of both Terra and Gaia were reunited.   
  
---- e n d -----   
  
Love, God Bless, & tell me watcha thought!!! By the way, I'm planning on adding separate stories as a series, cuz if it was a chapter fic I'd never finish it - don't ask me why, I just wouldn't. ^.~  



	2. The Second Melody

{ Melodies of Life 2 }  
Zidane sighed. Life was great, really. He had his friends, both in Tantalus, and outside of it.    
There was traveling, and performing, more often than not, now. There was visits to Kuja's Grotto, formerly The Black Mage Village. There, the Genomes were being roused into a semblance of life through the frequent visits of Vivi, Eiko, Dagger, Steiner, Amarant, Freija, Quina, and himself. And something that only Mikoto knew: wherever Zidane went, Kuja went. The silver pendant he wore around his neck held a valuable treasure: Kuja's soul.   
And, most annoyingly at some times, his rapier wit.   
But something, something terribly crucial, was missing. Something Zidane couldn't quite put his finger on.   
/I know what's wrong with you, my sweet lovable moron! IT'S BEEN A WHOLE FREAKING YEAR, AND YOU'VE BARELY BEGUN DATING DAGGER!!!/  
[Shut up, Kuja]  
/Why should I? Back at the Iifa Tree, when we were dying, all you could think of is getting back to her./  
[Not ALL,] Zidane thought sourly at his brother.   
/Almost, you twit. Are you going to waste your whole life - and my death?/  
[Death's forever, Kuja, I can't waste it for you - that's your lucky job. Anyway, she's too busy right now to want to - ]  
/Too busy?/ Kuja thought skeptically You moron, when has she EVER been too busy for you?!  
[Ahhhh...]  
Pretty much when hell's frozen over, huh? Dagger chose that moment to walk into the cottage Zidane lived in.   
"Hello!"  
"Heyas, Dagger. We're doing a show at Kuja's Grotto - wanna come?"  
"Well, when is it?"  
"Ahhh..."  
/Friday, stupid./  
[Shutcher trap.] "It's Friday. Same time as usual."  
"All right, I'll come. What play are you doing?"  
"It's a surprise," Zidane said, sounding mysterious.   
/You think she's GORGEOUS, you want to HOLD her, you want to KISS her, you want to-/ Kuja sing-songed, much to the annoyance (and private embarrassment) of Zidane.   
[Kuja, shut up right now, or I swear to you by Odin's Sword, I'll feed you to Chocy.] After depositing Kuja (well, the necklace that held Kuja) in a drawer, Zidane took Dagger out for a long walk. After that, she went back to castle.   
Duty calls, and being Queen is a tough duty. Be glad you ain't queens, and if you are - SUCKER!!!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Later that day, at the bar, Zidane made up his mind. Today he would propose to Dagger - with, of course, the beautiful ring Kuja had so generously given him. If she didn't say yes, then Zidane would...he really didn't know what he'd do.    
Abruptly, Zidane stood as he slapped down a handful of Gil for his water.    
"Ah...sir...water's free here..." the new waitress said timidly. Zidane mentally slapped himself. Back on the Outer Continent, water was a precious commodity, and cost 200 Gil a glass.   
"Sorry 'bout that. Here, keep it as your tip."  
"Ah, don't go yet, Zidane!" Blank called out.   
"Yeah, we're only making bets and giving out raffle tickets for when he's gonna get his ass in gear and marry that girl of his," Marcus muttered.   
/Oooh, a raffle...get a ticket, Zidane!!!/ Kuja 'thought' at his little brother.   
[Shut up. I'm not wasting my Gil on something that was meant to make fun of me.]  
/You do need to marry her soon, moron./  
[Duh...where do you think I'm going right now?]  
/Madin Sari? Esto Gaza?/  
(Funny. Just for that, I'm leaving you with Ruby. There's a play on tonight. You can listen to that. And don't mess with her - or anybody else's head, or I'll feed you to Choco.) Kuja shut up. Zidane left the necklace in his spare room at the mini-theater, and headed for the castle.   
"Halt! Oh, it's you, Zidane."  
"Hey, Beatrix. Have you seen Dagger?"  
"Queen Garnet is in her bedchamber."  
"Thanks." With that, Zidane took off through the castle, heading to Dagger's room. Arriving at his destination, Zidane rapped his knuckles on the door, and said,   
"Hey Dagger, guess who? It's your favorite bandit-slash-thief-slash-saver of Gaia!!!" Yeah, he could joke and act goofy around her to keep from showing just how nervous he was.    
"Oh! Come in!" Zidane opened the door to see Dagger sealing an envelope. Suddenly, Zidane felt his nerve leave him. And just as swiftly, a better idea formed itself in his mind.    
"So, are you busy for lunch? Cuz I'm starved, and the guys at the bar are bein' RUDE to me."  
"Poor baby," she said, looking up from her stacks of paper. "So you came here to beg food. Oh, well. I'll feed you - but it's gonna cost you."  
"I'm broke." Which, of course, was a total lie.    
"Hmm, no food for little Zidane."  
"I'll come up with something - just not Gil."    
"I'll humor you because you're so cute." And with that, Dagger stood and Zidane followed. They wasted time at the table, just the two of them, talking as if it had been four years ago, things like funny stories - like when Zidane was on a raid and got his tail stuck in the window he was jumping out of, and how Blank had to come to his rescue. Things like that, just plain small talk.    
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
It was close to midnight. A dark figure crept through the window, over to Dagger's bed...Dagger's scream was cut off by the person kissing her. When her captor released her, a familiar voice breathed,   
"Shhhh....it's only me."    
"Zidane!" Dagger hissed. "You scared me half to death!"  
"I love you too," he said dryly. "Here's your stuff from...four years ago. Get dressed in your bathroom - I'll see you when you're done." Dagger grumbled, but accepted the bundle of orange and white, not bothering to wonder where he'd found them.    
After she changed, Dagger felt herself being tucked under one of Zidane's strong arms.    
"You have to trust me," he whispered, "or we could end up being little more than a splat on the streets of Alexandria." Dagger nodded mutely. At her affirmation, Zidane hopped out the window, and went through a series of flips, jumps, and turns that left Dagger feeling like she left her stomach back in her castle bedroom.    
After what seemed like an eternity of the sickening faster-than-lightspeed travel, they landed near a small lake. Zidane grinned.    
"Feel like swimming?"  
"Ah...Zidane..." Zidane laughed out loud.    
"HEY!!! I CAN swim, you know!" she cried out, soundly smacking the chuckling Genome in front of her.    
"Never said you couldn't." And with that, Zidane picked her up again, and promptly dumped her into the freezing cold water. Dagger surfaced, sputtering and coughing.    
"I thought you said you could swim," Zidane teased mildly.    
"The question is, Zidane, can you?" Zidane had exactly three seconds to register what she said, and after that, he was, well, wet. Only Dagger wasn't as merciful as he had been, and she kept his head rooted firmly underwater for almost a full minute. After that, she relented, realizing that he needed air to survive, and that wasn't exactly accessible when one's head is shoved under the surface of a cold lake. Zidane surfaced in the same manner as Dagger.    
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
If it was cold in the lake, then it was even colder sitting dripping wet in the branches of a tree. But that's where Zidane and Dagger were, snuggled up. Zidane decided to take advantage of this opportunity.    
"Dagger...I love you."  
"I love you too, Zidane." That being confirmed, he took a tattered box out of his pocket (AN: pocket? what pocket? ^.~), opened it, and offered the ring to Dagger, timidly saying,  
"Will you marry me?" Dagger gasped, seeing the ring by the light of the full moon. A garnet (AN: now ain't that ironic?) shaped like a rose, encircled by diamonds, set on a gold band. The very next thing Zidane felt was Dagger kissing him. When she let go, her head tilted forward to rest on his shoulder, and he murmured in her ear,   
"Can I take that as a 'yes'?"  
"Of course."  
In the middle of their embrace, neither one noticed the pair of glittering, angry silver eyes that watched them in the shadows....  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Blank came running out of the bar, jumping up and down. A sullen Marcus and Cinna followed. The aforementioned jumping bandit ran right into a slim girl with slightly spiky blonde hair, and unexpressive blue eyes.    
"Ah...hi Mikoto...Have you heard about Zidane and Dagger?"  
"Yes. That is why I left Kuja's Grotto."  
"So you're here for the wedding?"  
"Yes. The other mages and Genomes are also here. My brother and his fiancé will be spending their honeymoon at the Grotto, and it was assumed that they would require privacy."  
"Ah...yeah..."  
"Goodbye. Zidane expressed a desire to converse with me."  
"Uh...bye..."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Trani scowled at the image being displayed in the floating orb in front of her. Zidane and his fiancé, that annoying child Dagger, laughing as they wrote up invitations for their wedding together. She stood up, and in a fit of anger, spun around and punched a hole into her stone chair.    
"How DARE she!" Trani roared, her silvery eyes flashing. "It would be all SO MUCH EASIER if that half-baked moron Kuja hadn't given him THAT ring to use!" She took a deep breath, then slid back into her chair. Maybe she could still use that spell that would ruin a wedding...no, that was useless. Only Kuja and herself really knew the full powers of that ring, the Garnet Rose, and it had an enchantment so powerful only the one who offered it...in this case, Kuja, could go against the spell: a recipe for a perfect, hitch-free wedding.    
Normally, she'd slink into Dremoria, the world parallel to Memoria, and put a spell on Kuja so that he'd ruin the wedding for her. But him being pure soul and little else at this time, he would be immune to the Dream-User spells that would do the job. And the necklace! Zidane had gone to more than a decent amount of trouble to secure the fact that the necklace would let itself be a host to Kuja.   
For now, as the only Genome still loyal to Garland, all she could do was seethe.   
And destroy the furniture.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Back on Gaia, the people of Alexandria had no idea that their future King was being threatened by a female Genome, currently living between Dremoria, Memoria, the Spiritual Realm, and the Mortal Realm.   
All Steiner and Beatrix knew was that, with their magically heightened danger senses, trouble was on the horizon.   
Or, rather, death.   
The death of a Queen.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Ooo, cliffhanger.  
Yay being alive.  
Email me with C&C! Luv an' God Bless,  
~*~Katra Raberba Winner~*~  



	3. Mini Melody: Tsurai Jidai Nai (Painful E...

{---Tsurai Jidai Nai---}  
{---Painful Era Dead---}  
Beatrix stood in an abandoned room, panting, trying to remain standing, her original battle   
already over.   
/I KNOW I can do this!/ She slashed at the new imaginary opponents that clouded her vision.   
Spell after spell, swipe after swipe. As her made-up challengers faded from her sight,   
a much worse scene replaced them...her parents being slaughted by a strange girl with golden   
hair and cold silvery eyes...her siblings, both of them.   
Slowly, she colapsed, leaning heavily on the rusted old sword that had belonged to her  
father before her. Suddenly, warm, sticky red blood gushed from a cut on her forehead, causing  
her already distorted vision to cloud with the crimson flood. Beatrix felt her sword snap in   
half, dropping her like a limp doll to the ground. The glowing ruby hues faded to dull, blank,   
black nothingness as she felt herself sliding into unconsiousness...  
---  
Mayani grinned, faceng her little sister Beatrix. "Ah, give it up, squirt. There's no way you can   
beat me."  
"Mayani! Kotai! Beatrix! Dinnertime! Your father's waiting!" Karanei Sharaki called to her   
three dirty, tired daughters. Her husband Jaremomaru grinned at the sight of them as they  
entered the small cottage that the family lived in.   
"You three are the future of Alexandria! Always fighting!"  
"Clean up for dinner, right now. And Beatrix! How many times do I have to tell you to   
WEAR YOUR ARMOR! You won't get so badly injured if you wear it!" Karanei shouted angrily.  
"Mama! How can I become stronger if I let the Holy Armor take the hits for me?" Beatrix cried   
out. "I'll never get any stronger unless I can stand Mayani's attacks! And anyways, she   
and Kotai don't have to wear armor! And I hit just as hard as they do, it won't be fair if I have to-"  
"All right, all right," Karanei sighed. "Don't blame me when you injure yourself so badly  
that you never fight again."  
"But I don't WANT to fight," Beatrix explained patiently. "I only want to beat Mayani."  
"Why?" Jaremomaru interrupted, curious.  
"I have a bet with Uncle Rosi. He bet that I couldn't beat her until I was 12." Beatrix   
said innocently. Kotai and Mayani snickered, as Karanei exchanged a look of disbelief with   
Jaremomaru.   
"Wash up, and wear the armor." Karanei said firmly.   
---  
Silently, a cloaked figure walked through the pathways of rural Alexandria, seeking a particular  
cottage.   
A long-nailed, carefully manicured finger ran down the town list. /There it is...Sharaki.   
Garland should be pleased. Rabbit, you annoying pest, you die tonight./  
---  
Beatrix stirred in her sleep. /Somethng isn't right./ She slid out of bed, and walked blindly down   
the hall outside the back door of the cottage. She wandered by the light of the full blue and  
red moons to the nearby forest, deeper and deeper until she was hopelessly lost.   
Whispers chased her...`poor little rabbit, family will be dead, only her baby sister will live`...  
`wonder who'll hold the sword next`...`it's getting rusty`...`the little redeyes will need a new one`  
...`the silver wench invaded our land, she must pay`..maybe the little redeyes can help us`...  
`she doesn't want to fight`...`maybe we can posses her`...`use her body as our own`...  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Beatrix shrieked out, clutching her hands to her ears, falling to her scraped knees,  
sobbing, thrashing about wildly. As the whispers slowly faded into the deadly cold night air, so did  
the sobs of the little redeyes.  
---  
As Beatrix neared her house, she saw a light on. Creeping to the window, she saw a blonde girl with   
manicured fingernails and disdainful silver eyes speaking with her father. Pressing an ear to the   
window, she heard the end of the conversation.   
"Just give the eldest, Mayani. Then we won't feel the need to destroy your country."  
"I said no, witch!" Jaremomaru roared. The girl's eyes narrowed angrily. Beatrix felt something...  
this girl was stronger than she appeared...Papa was in danger...got to save him...  
"PAPA!" she shrieked, throwing herself through the glass, and trying desperatley to shield him   
with her body. The cold liquid silver eyes widened.   
"Now, Sharaki...this one holds just as much, if not more promise. Tell you what: I'll take the redeyes   
and leave you, Alexandria, and rabbit - Mayani - alone."  
"No!" Jagemomaru shouted.   
"So now you die, fool." Jagemomaru spun around and threw himself over Beatrix, hitting the floor.   
Bright silver and blue spells shot through the house, seeking out the remainder of Beatrix's family  
and dragging them forward into the kitchen. Four beams of blue light, with strange silver writing  
wrapped around them aimed at Mayani, Kotai, Karanei, and Jaremomaru.   
Suddenly a cluster of four explosions blew up, throwing blood and disassembled body parts  
in every direction. Five screams of ultimate terror rocked the house. And only one of the five humans  
survived.   
---  
Slowly, painfully, Beatrix stirred, recovering slowly from the injuries she had inadvertedly given herself.  
/The dream again...what I wouldn't give to forget that.../  
Beatrix looked at her broken sword and almost cried. She reached up and pulled back the eyepatch covering   
her right eye. Looking in the reflection the sword gave her, she gasped inwardly at the sight of her   
scarred, disfigured eye.   
/A reminder of that night...the only lasting injury I suffered./ As soon as she covered the ugly sight   
again, she realized that was a lie. "No," she said out loud, to nobody in particular. "I suffered more   
than physical pain that night. And I still don't even know who destroyed this eye..."  
More memories, more recent ones, snapped her into the vivid, unrelenting cruelty of memories.  
---  
11-year old Beatrix threw herself into a sitting position, having already rolled her father's melted,   
destroyed corpse. The bodies of Mayani, Kotai, and Karanei lay, their faced left untouched by some  
form of evil, cruel magic. Expressions of pain, terror, and utter suffering were stamped permanently on the  
faces of Kotai and Karanei. Mayani's face, however, was peaceful and calm, her eyes   
tranquil and serene. "Beatrix..." the corpse murmured. Then, Mayani's pretty face faded away to   
nothingness. Beatrix disolved into tears and sobs.   
"Hush now, little redeyes," a soft voice whispered. "It will be all right."  
"Who-are-you?" Beatrix sobbed out.   
"I am Shiva, the Ice Eidolon. I am here to help you. Listen, my little redeyes: a long, hard road stretches in front  
of you. Your future will be riddled with disappointments and failure. But you will become an honored warrior  
in the army of Queen Brahne, fall in love, and help to speed the death of she who slaughted your family."  
"Who-killed-them,-Shiva?" Beatrix gasped, her sobs subsiding.  
"Her name is Trani. She...I cannot tell you much, little redeyes. She is powerful. I will give you instructions  
to aid you in revenge."  
"Tell me," Beatrix said, surprising even herself at how level and calm her vioce had become. Shiva laughed.   
"Take your father's sword, and heal yourself. Salvage the Holy Armor, and synthesize to an eyepatch.   
When you have mastered White Magic, I will give you Save the Queen. Goodbye, little redeyes.   
Never lose hope or determination." And with that, Shiva faded away, and Beatrix fixed her thoughts  
on one thing: revenge.  
---  
A small rabbit hopped into Beatrix's lap as she was examining her broken sword, trying to see if it  
could be mended. She cast it away as a hopeless cause and chuckled at the sight of the innocent animal.  
"You know, rabbit, for years I struggled with White Magic. Of all the basic magic forms: Red, Blue,   
Black, White, White is the hardest to learn. You must be pure of mind, heart, and soul."  
The rabbit's dark eyes stared back into hers.   
"It has been six years - I'm seventeen years old, rabbit. And I still haven't mastered Curaga. I think it,   
among certain other things, is beyond me." She sighed. Six years and all she knew about   
Trani was how her voice sounded, what she looked like, and her name. "I think I'll give up the   
revenge business, and try to become General." Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation   
she only felt when she'd mastered a new White Magic spell. "Curaga..." she breathed, immedetly  
using the spell to rid herself of her horrendous injuries.   
"Hello Beatrix." the same soft whisper that was Shiva's voice murmured. "Here, as promised, is your sword.   
It will enable you to use Seiken, a powerful form of sword magic. You can use all White Magic, and any   
Seiken skills until the day you begin to seek revenge." And with that, Shiva disappeared.   
Beatrix chuckled. "Thanks, Shiva...looks like next time we meet, Steiner, the tables might turn a little bit."  
She smiled down at the rabbit, which was hopping away, to a den of some sort presumably.   
"I think now is the time to bury all of what happened that night. Painful Era Dead. Gone. Forever." Beatrix  
said thoughtfully. "I am now the Holy Knight Beatrix. Beatrix Sharaki is dead."  
---  
{---owari---}  
  
I challenged myself to write a different sort of fic than I usually write. My stories usually have humor and an  
air, at least most of the time, of happiness and...fluff.   
But I wanted to focus on Save the Queen, Seiken, and Beatrix's White Magic skills, because, as far as   
any of us know, Beatrix isn't a White Mage.   
This story ties in with my other FFIX fictions, Melodies of Life and Melodies of Life 2. Also, Beatrix will   
be brought into the spotlight for the duration on MOL3 and 4.   
Just to let you know. If you read MOL2, you'll recognize Trani near the end.   
Email me w/C&C at katra@afacentral.com   
Luv,   
Katra Winner 


	4. The Third Melody

Beatrix stared out at the sunrise

{ Melodies of Life 3 }

Beatrix stared out at the sunrise. The orange, pink, red, blue, and purple hues spun together, forming a pleasantly swirling pattern of colours. 

_Peace has come._ She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of no more wars, no more friends lost to the cruelty of human nature. The sickening sight of blood gushing forth, the smell of death and loss and despair and hopelessness. 

But nothing lasts forever, and peace is unfortunately one of the most short-lived somethings that falls to the tragedy of nature and humanity...and even alien nature. 

Each knight knew, after their first real battle, how to sense danger. Both herself and Steiner were picking up some terrible signals...the birds twittering nervously, the nights of horrible dreams swirling into an endless nightmare of fright. She balled her fists, sensing that this upcoming trouble was doing its best to stop her from being able to use Seiken and White Magic. It knew of Shiva's deal with Alexandria's General...

_Why, though...why do those same dreams still plague me...?_ she wondered, for the memories of her painful and death-filled past had returned after years of being dormant. 

A lone tear made its way down her cheek, soon joined by others..."Oh, Shiva, why can't you help me anymore!" Now the tears fell freely, joined by huge sobs that wracked her whole body. Sinking down to sit on the floor, Beatrix drew her knees to her chest, sobbing like a lost child. 

"Mama...Papa..."

~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Kuja pondered his options. He had been slowly gaining strength, then feeding it to Beatrix, sensing that she would need it more than he. In his current state, that witch Trani couldn't touch him with the spells that would lead to the destruction of Gaia, the death of the whole planet...save Zidane. 

He remembered Trani from his days of training in Terra. /How long ago that seems.../

[Eh...Kuja...wha...?] Kuja snickered as Zidane's thoughts came to him. He wasn't what you'd call a morning person. 

/Nothing. Go back to sleep./

[That's a pile of chocobo crap, and you know it. Tell me.] Zidane said, joining the world of the living.

/Trouble is brewing./

[What do you mean, 'trouble is brewing'?]

/If I could, I would sigh. Trani is disappointed in you./

[Who's Trani?]

/She was, and probably still is, Garland's most intense supporter. To her, whatever he said or thought was law, no questions asked./

[Um...that would be bad.]

/Add that to the face that she's had an obsession over you since she first saw you, yeah. We're in deep trouble./

[Aw, man! Now my wedding's gonna be screwed up. I swear, the universe is out to get me...]

/Indeed./

[Well, at least we got Beatrix with that Seiken thingie.]

/I wouldn't count on that. She and Trani go way back...the minute she sees Trani, it's the end of Seiken and White Magic, at least for a while./

[Why!?]

/I don't know all of the details, so you'll have to ask the General yourself. It's a fairly touchy subject for her. Not to mention private./

Zidane pondered these points, hoping with all his heart that war would not once again come to Gaia. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Kuja drifted off to his hiding place in Dremoria. The trick about going into Dremoria was that it was fairly easy for a Rainbow Mage to cast a dangerous mind-control spell on your mind. Fortunately for the universe, it was incredibly difficult to reach the world of dreams. The entrance was wrapped in shadows, guarded by huge hoards of near-invincible Undead warriors. You had to have either far too many Potions or Hi-Potions on your hands, or have an abundance of MP to fuel Cure spells. These Undead monsters were immune to everything but healing items and spells.

All that aside, it was fairly easy for a being of pure spirit to enter the world of dreams. And so Kuja hid, wishing, hoping, praying to hold onto the semblance of life his brother's determination had bestowed upon him, to fill his unquenchable desire to be like Zidane: free, his own person, engaged to the woman he loved more than anything. 

/It will never happen,/ Kuja thought bitterly. Trani loved Zidane, Zidane loved Dagger, Dagger loved Zidane, Kuja loved Trani. One big screwed-up family.

/All my life, I've had to give everything up to him,/ he told a nearby drifting spirit. /Garland's favor, the job on Gaia, the chance to truly live, the better soul...even Trani, though Zidane showed little interest in her other than as a threat to his fiancé's precious country./ Kuja sighed again, in despair. /I worked so hard to earn her affection.../

No, Trani would never love him. He who had fought Garland tooth and nail the entire way down the road. A small, private part of why he'd wanted to kill the annoying old man was because he held Trani so closely in his grasp. Trani had been in a programmed sleep when Zidane and company had visited Terra, and there was no predicting why she'd woken up. 

Kuja scoffed. There was a reason Trani had rejoined the living, he realized with a sinking feeling where his heart would have been, had he possessed one in the physical sense. She'd risen to wreak her vengeance on Dagger for 'stealing' the man she considered her property. /What I wouldn't give to be that man./

But no. He would stand aside, as Zidane and his friends performed the inevitable action: killed her. Trani would not let herself be changed, as he had been. If Zidane wouldn't love her, then she would kill off his friends until he did. And if that didn't work, she would surely kill him. Kuja would stand on the sidelines, silently weeping, trying to hide the emotions bottled up inside of his lonely soul. 

Always, always, Kuja would remember the tortured scream he heard, erupting from the depths of his soul, the despair displayed by a soul crying. 

~~~~~~~~~

Trani paused, hearing the scream echoing throughout Dremoria. She dismissed it as nothing, then returned to her current activity of wearing holes in the floor, her hands clenched into fists. Vaguely, she remembered the basic outline of a spell to pull a select group of people or objects into Dremoria unharmed...but how? Think, think. Tut, tut, looks like rain, she thought, glancing out though the magical window she'd created. 

"That's it!" she shrieked, running to her large bookshelf, which featured every spellbook ever written. Running her fingers down the columns of volumes containing everything from how to blow up a building to how to master White Magic. Her urgently searching hands brought her to a worn old blue volume, the title barely visible. _Tut, Tut, Riani Liuy Sofcom, _it read, in words only one fluent in the Terran language could read. '_Travel, Travel, Magical Portals Open_' was the valid translation. 

Tearing the old volume from the shelf, Trani's eager eyes scanned the index, looking for the appropriate chapter. Sofcom wu Hitupa - Open Without Energy, Tut Kalaki Fnyi wek Liyuy - Travel Different Countries with Portals...the list went on, discouraging the seeker. Finally!

Trani's perfectly manicured right fingernail found the spell. 

"I've got you now, Zidane Tribal!" Evil, cackling laughter echoed throughout the library as Trani threw back her head and shrieked her success to all of Dremoria. 

~~~~~~~~ 

"My wedding day," Zidane muttered, yanking on his tie as Vivi, Amarant, and Steiner snickered at him. "The single most important day in my life, and I have to worry about some psycho chick from the homeworld screwing me up." 

"Your life sucks." Amarant said calmly. 

"Thank you for that lovely and uplifting observation." 

"I think it might be okay," Vivi volunteered timidly. 

"We will valiantly protect Queen Garnet and her fiancé at all costs!" Steiner cried out, raising his sword happily. 

"Ah...thanks. I think," Zidane giggled nervously. 

[I am in deep shit.]

/No duh, that idiot never fought me, Necron, or any of the tougher battles/

[...be quiet.]

And the bride?

~~~~~~~~~~

"I am in deep shit."

"Don't use foul language," Freya said distractedly as she yanked at a tangle in Eiko's hair.

"It'll be fine, Dagger," Eiko predicted brightly.

"No go wrong. Quina help."

"Well, I'm keeping some Ethers and other stuff with me - just in case."

"Me too. You can never be too careful," Freya said, shooting a LOOK at Quina, who was currently off in la-la land...a land of frogs.

"Try telling her...erm...him...uh...IT that!" Eiko muttered. 

"My Queen," Beatrix said, sticking her head in the door and bowing it slightly.

"Come in, Beatrix."

"It's time." Dagger gulped. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Zidane fidgeted while waiting up on the altar, waiting for Dagger. Vivi would be bringing her up; Eiko being flower girl, Beatrix Maid of Honor, and Freya bridesmaid. Quina was ring bearer, mainly because Amarant wouldn't be. Kuja contented himself with fantasies of him marrying Trani, his silence puzzling Zidane - who figured it was for the best anyhow.

And then suddenly, she was coming up the altar, looking like a goddess. Zidane felt his breath freeze in his throat. His mind blurred, and he saw only her as she slowly walked ever closer to him... 

Suddenly, he heard the priest asking him a question. 

"I do." he murmured softly, remembering only because of the thousands of practices. 

"I do." she whispered. 

"You may kiss the bride..." Zidane leaned in, looping his arms loosely around Dagger's slim form, feeling her fingers twine around his hair. Slowly, closed his eyes, tilted his head... 

The cheers from the crowd were lost on the happy couple. Suddenly, Beatrix felt a huge wave of energy shooting straight for Gaia. The cheers and applause turned to gasps and shrieks of fear as three columns zapped down, encasing Freya, Eiko, Dagger, and Zidane. 

And the light columns promptly bounced back up to the sky. Beatrix stumbled and fell to her knees, tears coursing down her face as she remembered that horrible night so long ago... 

She screamed. Screamed her hate, her frustration, her anger, her fear, her sorrow. Screamed her hopes, her dreams, her love, her passion, her soul. 

When she opened her eyes, the world was tinted blue. "What's...happening...?" Beatrix choked out, feeling her body zooming up, up, up, away. Clutching her arms to her chest, she tried to hold back the sobs that only seemed to make the light travel ever faster. 

Now she was standing in a white cloudy world. "My Lady?" she called out. 

"Here!" she heard Eiko cry out. "Dagger's hurt!" Beatrix followed the child's voice to a partially enclosed area. Eiko was crouched, concentrating on casing Curaga on the fallen queen. 

"Where are we...?" Freya wondered. 

"Dremoria." Freya looked over at Zidane, whose eyes had glazed over, his head drooping. "I am speaking to you through the one of the Genomes present. One of the few vessels that can stand my power. I am Trani. And you will all die." 

And then Zidane collapsed, leaving Freya to drag him closer to the revived Dagger, and Beatrix to freeze. 

/No more tears...but I can't fight...not with that deal I made./ 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

"So nice to meet you all here...the team that saved Gaia...the summoning brats...that stupid rat...little redeyes, how you've grown! Hmm, Kuja must be here somewhere...Zidane!!!" As Trani appeared out of the mist, stepping closer to the huddled group, pointing with a perfectly manicured fingernail to each person. 

"Kuja's been dead for four years." Eiko piped up, a look of disgust marking her childish face. "He died after we fought him." 

"Yes, I know he's dead. Where is that little moron?" Dagger opened her mouth to explain to the odd girl - who was undoubtedly Trani - that Kuja had passed on from this world. 

"He's here." Zidane said calmly, stepping closer. "He warned me about you. Let us go. Now." Anger and hate flashed in his blue eyes. Trani's cold demeanor seemed to shift to pain. 

"How about a deal, mm?" 

"What kind of deal?" Beatrix asked, clearing her throat. 

"We have a fight. I win, Zidane stays with me. I lose, you all go free to Gaia, healed for free...but understand, this is a fight to the death." 

"We accept." Zidane said calmly. 

"Very well. Chose a party of four. The fifth sits out - and that means no magic, no participation, no nothing." 

"Understood." Dagger replied coldly. "Me, Zidane, Eiko, and Freya." 

"Then let us begin." 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Full-Life!" As Eiko aimed her spell for Zidane, Trani waited patiently for her turn to attack, as if sure of victory. Directly after the Genome was revived, Dagger cried out for Shiva, who promptly froze Trani. 

Trani was beginning to get worried. Zidane had been taking her hits for the other party members, making it difficult for her to fight. She hadn't realized that those summoning brats were so skilled at controlling eidolons and White Magic, specifically the troublesome Full-Life spell. And they seemed to have at least ninety-nine Ethers, making it hard for her to simply wait until their magical supply ran out. 

Then, suddenly, she heard Kuja's voice in her head. 

/Let him go, Trani./

[Kuja!]

/Yes./

[You're just jealous!]

/Perhaps. But you are killing yourself./

[That's not what you care about! I always hated you!]

/I know./

The utter calm and tranquility in Kuja's telepathic voice startled Trani. 

[What...?]

/You are killing yourself, and Gaia, not to mention the man you claim to love./

[If I can't have him, _nobody_ can!]

/There you go again./ Once more, his voice scared her.

[Kuja...you've changed...]

/Yes. I was once Angel of Death 01. I have given up that title. Garland was nothing more than a crazy old man, Trani./

[TRAITOR!!!!!!]

Zidane and co. began to be confused when Trani stopped bothering to attack them. Instead, she confronted a silvery-white wisp of being that flew out of Zidane's necklace. 

"Kuja!" Trani screeched, flying up after him. 

/Goodbye, everybody. I hope to see you when you die.../ 

This time, all of them could hear Kuja's words before he suddenly exploded, mere inches from Trani, taking her with him. 

A huge flash of light blinded the party - all with the exception of Beatrix, who saw Kuja's soul explode into his purple-haired form, only wearing a long white robe and wings holding him up in the air. 

"Wha-what is this?" he whispered. 

"You're an angel now...a true angel." Beatrix said, then gave a deep respectful bow. "I commend you on your actions, Lord Kuja. I wish you a good afterlife watching over Gaia."

"And to you - congratulations on beating your fears." It was Kuja's turn to give a low bow. "Could you say goodbye to my brother and his wife and friends for me?"

"Of course."

And the angel soared up to heaven, leaving the struggle and hatred and evils down on Gaia, heading to a better life.

~~~~~~~~~~

"My Queen, wake up!" Beatrix shook Dagger, then moved to the others. 

"Where's Kuja?" Zidane asked, after checking on his new wife.

"He has moved on to a better life...he is a true angel now."

"His dream..." Zidane smiled, absentmindedly playing with the necklace that adorned his neck. As he turned around, he was faced with three mock-angry female faces. 

"Zidane Tribal!" Freya called out.

"You never told us that you had Kuja with you for a whole YEAR!" Eiko yelped, stamping her dainty foot. 

"You have a lot of explaining to do, mister!" Dagger grinned, pulling him by the arm to where four beams of blue light had appeared. 

"Ehehehehehehehe....."

~~~~~~~~~~

Up in heaven, Kuja looked down on his brother sleeping, Dagger curled in his arms. 

/Sleep well, little brother.../

~*~the end?~*~

-Katra

Notes: All right, here it is. The end of MOL. That's right, NO MORE STORIES. At least in FF9...it was really hard to write this, as my obsession with FF9 is giving way slightly to Inuyasha and the Bouncer. It didn't help that I've had an Inuyasha fic in the brainstorming, and Dog-Man is very insistent and pushy about my writing schedule. 

My deal with him and my creative shoulder angel (not muse, not conscious) was that I'd write a spamfic and a Angst/Romance thing for Inuyasha. 

Not that you care, of course


End file.
